Letters to the Editor

Compensation needed over wildlife corridor mapping in Gympie council area

WITH regard to Environmental Map swallows couples land, The Gympie Times, December 6.

As a property valuer I am compelled to comment on this because the powers that be seem to be stalled on efforts to solve this problem in the legislative shortfall. It is councils’ responsibility to bring planners to heel on issues where their demands are excessive and unrealistic. Council needs the legislative teeth to bring to light what is actually happening. In the case of Mr Buckley, his land is right in the path of future subdivision. This land is above flood and ripe for future development.

Trees and vegetation are part of the land. In valuation terms they are considered to be land. Twenty five hectares of Mr Buckley’s 32 hectares is being locked up, preventing further subdivision.

I am proposing that what is happening here is a claim for compensation under Valuation of Land Act. The landholder should have the proper notification and the appropriate public servants should be making offers.

The council should be paying an annual rate per hectare in rent to this landholder. This should be adjusted to CPI with a market review every five years to take account of what is being lost. Mr Buckley should not have to pay any costs in this matter.

Ideally, this legislation should be written into the State Vegetation Management Act. Council could be reimbursed by the Federal Government and that would form part of the Greenhouse Gas reduction targets.

This legislation would bring the matter into focus with what is being lost in financial terms to the landholder.

It would be a chance for the regions to regain some financial balance to the environmental issue. This matter not only applies to subdivisional land but to rural land as well. The Australian Constitution has land compensation provisions built into it. It is time for it to be enacted in Queensland’s legislation on vegetation by the introduction of annual loss of rent payments for affected land.

Lindsay Horswood, Gympie

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Christmas on K’gari

AS CHRISTMAS approaches our concerns are again focused on the welfare of the wildlife. The dingoes (wongari) will again be under siege by the arrival of hordes of holiday makers. This is a time when juveniles are learning survival skills and encounters with people are likely.

We ask that visitors take time to read and understand the dingo safety rules and if fortunate to sight an animal be mindful of your actions, it could mean the difference between a positive and rewarding encounter as apposed to a negative interaction. Unfortunately an incident has already occurred on the Eastern Beach where a boy was bitten on the hand, a minor injury, but one that could no doubt be avoided.

It is recommended that children under 14 camp within fenced areas; don’t encourage or feed animals; don’t harass the animals; respect their territory and observe from a distance; always keep children within arms length; if anyone witnesses an attempt to harm or interfere with an animal, such as a deliberate vehicle strike, it is important that it is reported, the authorities can’t act if people don’t come forward.

Speak directly with a ranger if possible or email dingo.ranger@des.qld.gov.au

Phone 07 4127 9150 and provide as much information as possible.

Cheryl Bryant, Save Fraser Island Dingoes publicity officer